It’s already August and that means we’re getting close to the swan song of another summer. We’re already working on Christmas campaigns. Ergo, the rest of the year will be a blur. It’s time to seize the day and build a sandcastle to be remembered.

From rooftop gardens to beekeeping, urban agriculture is on the rise. This practice is gaining popularity around the world, due to the many economic, health, community, and environmental benefits it offers.

The hula dance is probably one of the first things people think of when they hear “Hawaii”. It’s the cultural dance of the islands and was originally performed as a ritual offering for Pele, the Volcano goddess. Traditionally it was an expressive dance by women, used to illustrate the chanting poems and stories sung by men.

The bow tie originated in Croatia, then was popularized as a badge of high fashion by the upper class in France throughout the 18th and 19th centuries. It remains a distinguished accessory today, invoking images of professors, magicians, and concert musicians.

Nothing says winter like that cozy feeling of wrapping yourself in a favorite sweater and sitting down to a carbohydrate-laden bowl of deliciousness. Comfort foods can be sweet or savory, and indulging in them almost always involves nostalgic recipes and a whole lot of calories.

It’s late at night. I am lying in bed, so close to the edge of sleep that pictures begin to float behind my eyes like a silent film. My head is buried under the blankets, except for a little hole where my nose and mouth peek out for air. My body feels like it’s made of jelly, melting into the mattress.

While belly dancing wasn’t invented in the West, the name certainly was. It’s a catch-all phrase to describe a certain type of dance popular in the Middle East, one that involved deliberate manipulation of abdominal muscles. Likely applied during the Victorian times, it’s a translation of the term “danse du ventre”, which was French for a specific cultural dance from Algeria.

The creation of these designs, with over 2,000 known patterns, are one of man’s earliest games and have spread the world over. Given that ancient cultures had string for things like fishing and weaving, it makes sense that it could also be used for entertainment.

Though often parodied in books, films, and television, the concept of a "bio-dome" is one that very much exists in real science. Perhaps the most famous attempt at creating a self-sustaining, fully-encapsulated environment was the Biosphere 2 that was constructed between 1987 and 1991 in Oracle, Arizona.

Henna or mendhi is an ancient art form, originating thousands of years ago and connected to fertility celebrations, erotic rituals and goddess cultures. Designs made from henna paste were believed to bring good luck, ward off evil spirits and promote fertility. It’s no wonder that its application is an important pre-wedding tradition of brides in the Arab world and beyond.

I’ve been after my stylist for gray highlights for four years and told that gray hair dye just doesn’t exist. He’s camouflaged my “natural highlights” with red and platinum blond, but that’s not the look I really want. (It’s such a first world problem to have philosophical differences with one’s hairdresser. He’s more afraid of my gray strands than I am.)

Jeremy Woodhouse gives us a privileged look through the lens at an intimate moment between Japanese Macaques. Female macaques spend up to 27% of their day grooming others in their troops, usually related females, which they do to maintain social bonds as well as hygiene. They may also groom males, but that's usually done to lure dominant males to their groups, which are matriarchal. Also known as Snow Monkeys, Japanese Macaques are native to Japan and live farther north and in colder climates than any other non-human primate.

A memory forever burned into your mind. Your first concert, a larger-than-life experience where you lose yourself in the energy and excitement of the spectacle. As the first note rings out, the world around you fades away and it feels like the song is being sung just to you.

While many hand gestures are rude or easily misunderstood across cultures, the so-called "hand-heart" pictured here has been growing in popularity for several years. Easily made by one person, it can also be made by two people, each forming one half of the heart shape. It's meaning, according to Taylor Swift, lies somewhere between "I love you" and "Thank-you".

While the hand-heart may not surpass the peace sign in popularity, humans have used the heart symbol for hundreds of years to express what words sometimes fail to do: love, affection, passion, excitement, admiration, liking. In a world dominated by shorthand and LOLs, this heavily stylized shape communicates our intent in an instant.

Ty Milford uses plenty of natural light to capture this casual gathering of young friends with a hip, vintage vibe. Tailgate parties, held in the parking lot of large stadiums before or after music concerts and football games, appear to have started in the United States in the late 1860s at a collegiate football game. Now tailgate parties occur at other public gatherings such as weddings and barbecues, with people drinking, eating and playing games. For the 'origin story' of tailgate parties, including possible connections to both the American Civil War and Revolutionary France, check out Vice Sports.

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The File by Masterfile

Creative stock photos for every kind of project.

Masterfile, founded in 1981, is an independently owned stock photography company. We offer millions of contemporary stock images, from $10 shots to global exclusives. Our collection has both professionally crafted and crowdsourced work, for every project and budget.